Automatic container-filler device



Feb. 24, 1959 v. o. LUcK'ocK ETAL 2,874,734

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER-FILL@ DEVICE Filed April v2, 1957 INVENTOR. VERNON O. LUCKOCK MARY R. LUCKOCK United States Patent O AUTOMATIC CONT AINER-FILLER DEVICE Vernon O. Luckock and Mary R. Luckock, Los Angeles Calif., assignors of one-tenth to Gadget-Of-The-Month fluir, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of 'Caliorma Application April 2, 1957, Serial No. 650,138

6 Claims. (Cl. 141--87) Generally speaking, the present invention relates to the bottle illing art and, more particularly, relates to an automatic container-filler device cooperable with a bottle iilling machine having a source of liquid to be dispensed, vertically and horizontally reciprocating members, for rapid dispensation of liquids (particularly effervescent liquids) within a bottle.

Applicants are aware of the fact that prior art container-ller devices have been developed heretofore and that such prior art container-filler arrangements are disadvantageous for numerous reasons. The biggest single diiculty with prior art container-filler devices that are used with standard bottle lling machines is the problem of rapidly iilling a bottle with an eifervescent liquid. Due to the hub-bling effect of the elfervescent liquids, the rate of discharging the liquid into the bottle must be slowed down appreciably and frequently an operator must stand by in order to prevent the eiervescent liquid from bubbling out from inside the bottle. As a direct consequence of using the prior art container-filler devices the rate of production is slowed down substantially 4and conversely the cost of production goes up. It should also be pointed out that in the event that a run of uneiervescent liquid is to be changed to a run of eifervescent liquid in the bottle lling machine, then it is necessary to drastically change the rate and timing and flow, and such other mechanical operations as may be necessary, in order to adjust to the lower dispensation rate of the prior art container-filler devices with effervescent liquids. If the size of the business is such that small runs are necessary, then this cost of `adjustment is generally quite high. Another disadvantageous by-product of the prior art container-tiller arrangements, which is quite noticeable and disconcerting both to the consumer and to the producer, is the tendency of bottles to vary in the contents thereof due to the uneven settling of the effervescent liquids. The advantage of the automatic bottle filling machine is thus somewhat nullied by the above-mentioned effect, which is due to the failure of the prior art container-filler devices to inhibit the bubbling of the effervescent liquids.

The present invention was developed primarily to overcome the aforementioned problems and, generally speaking, can be said to be an automatic container-filler device cooperable with a bottle filling machine having a source of liquid (normally effervescent) to be dispensed, a vertically reciprocating member, and a horizontally reciprocating member, for rapid dispensation of liquid Within a bottle. The invention consists of a filler tube having a dispensing end and a liquid source connecting end and cooperable for connection with respect to a source of liquid to be dispensed, and with said dispensing end having vents and carrying a check valve therein. The filler tube is coupled in driven relationship with respect to the vertically reciprocating member of a lbottle filling machine and has an up and down position. The valve has spring biased trip means which is cooperable upon contact with the inside bottom of the bottle for starting'the ilow of ice liquid by unseating the spring biased valve closure means. The filler tube has wiper means which surround said filler tube and is slidably cooperable for wiping excess liquid from the outer surface thereof. A drip pan, coupled in driven relationship with respect to the horizontally reciprocating member of the bottle iilling machine, is cooperable for catching and disposing of the excess liquid upon actuation of the ller tube into the up position.

From the above description of basic and generic forms of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that virtually all of the hereinbefore mentioned prior art problems 'and/or disadvantages are substantially entirely eliminated, met and/ or overcome in and through use of the present invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic container-filler device which is cooperable with a bottle iilling machine having a source of liquid generally elervescent) to be dispensed, 'a vertically reciprocating member, and a horizontally reciprocating member for rapid and exact dispensation of liquid with a bottle.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the.

present invention to provide an automatic container-ller device which may be easily and rapidly installed with respect to standard bottle filling machines and which will insure a smooth and rapid ilow of effervescent liquid within a bottle to be lilled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic container-filler device including a check valve having automatic locking and unlocking action of greatly improved characteristics.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character set forth in the preceding objects, which is inexpensive, simple, easy to install and operate and of virtually foolproof construction.

Other and allied objects will -be apparent to those skilled in the art after a careful perusal, examination and study of the accompanying illustrations, the present speciiication, and the appended claims.

Y tion and discharging the liquid within the bottle;

Fig. 2 is a left side elevational View of the device shown in Fig. 1, with the l'iller tube in the up position, after lling the bottle, and the drip pan in an operable position for catching the drippings therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the check valve, the Wiper means, and the drip pan taken along theV lines III-III in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the check valve in an open position and taken along the lines IV-IV in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a top plan, partly sectional, view taken along the lines V-V in Fig. l, with the drip pan positioned out to the side in the non-operable position; A

Fig. 6 is a top plan, partly sectional and broken away,

view taken along the lines VI-VI in Fig. 2, showingj the drip pan in the operable position.

Generally speaking, the automatic container-filler device, indicated generally at 7 in Figs. 1 and 2, is cooperable with a bottle lling machine (not shown since it does not comprise a part of the present invention) having a source of liquid to be disposed, symbolically shown at 8 in Figs. 1 and 2, a vertically reciprocating member, partly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6, and a down position, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5.

The valve 16 includes valve closure means 17, a -valve seat 18, and trip means 19 which is mounted with re spect to the closure means 17, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. lSpring biasing means 20 which surround the trip rod 19 1s used to seat the valve closure means 17 with respect to the valve seat 1S, as shown in Fig. 3, on the up position in order to seal oli the iiller tube 14 and prevent the iiow of effervescent liquid 21 within the bottle 22.

The trip rod 19 is cooperable, upon abutting contact with the inside bottom of the Abottle 22 on the down stroke, for distending the spring 20 and unseating the valve closure means 17 and starting the iiow of effervescent liquid 21 within the bottle 22, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The trip means 19 thereupon becomes partly recessed into the interior 24 of the collar means 23 which also serve as liquid directional means with the liquid 21 tiowing through the vents 15. Thus, the filler device 7 automatically provides a smooth, bubble-free flow of liquid 21 upon unseating of the closure means 17 thereby making it possible for the bottle lling machine to work up to capacity.

Impact absorbing means comprising a iirst adjustable collar 25, spring biasing means 29, and a second adjustable collar 26 are attached with respect to the iiller tube 14 and is cooperable for absorbing the initial impact of the trip means 19 with respect to the bottom of the bottle 22. Thus, by using the impact absorbing means, best shown in Figs. l and 2, it obviates the necessity of making very ne adjustments, as the thickness of the bottom of the bottle 22 is varied.

Once the filler tube 14 discharges the predetermined amount of liquid 21 within the bottle 22 the vertically reciprocating member 9 actuates the filler tube 14 in the up position thereby releasing the trip rod 19 from abutting contact with the bottle 22 and causing the spring biased closure means 17 to seat with respect to the valve seat 18 and shutting off the iiow of eiervescent liquid 21.

As the filler tube 14 is actuated upward, wiper means 25, which is tixedly mounted by means of the rod 30 in a vertical plane with respect to the tube 14 and the bottle filling machine, slidably surrounds the filler tube 14, is cooperable for wiping the excess liquid from the outer surface of the tube 14 as the iiller tube 14 travels from thedown position, as shown in Figs. l, 4, and 5, into the up position, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6.

A drip pan 27 which is coupled in driven relationship with respect to the horizontally reciprocating member 10 and has an operable position vfor catching the excess liquid, as shown kin Figs. 2, 3, and 6, and a non-operable position, as shown in Fig. 5, is cooperable for catching and disposing of the excess liquid. The drip pan 27 is actuated into the operable position by the horizontally reciprocating member 10, Aupon actuation of the filler tube 14 into the up position by the vertically reciprocating member 9. The drip pan 27 has an outlet tube 28, best shown `in Fig. 3, whereby the waste drippings may be either disposed of or 'may be connected to the liquid source 8.

Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a careful `study hereof. All such properly within Lthe basic spirit, scope and/or Ateachings of the present ,invention are intended to be included and comprehended herein as fully as if specicallydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

'For example, it is obvious that the trip .mechanism of the present invention as well as the valve may be modified substantially other than as specifically described and illustrated herein.

The exact compositions, configurations, constructions, relative positionings, and cooperative relationships of the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and can be modified substantially within the spirit of the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention specifically described and illustrated herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claims only, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

We claim:

l. An automatic container-filler device cooperable with a bottle lling machine having a source of liquid to be dispensed, a vertically reciprocating member, and a horizontally reciprocating member for rapid dispensation of liquids within a bottle, comprising: a filler tube having a dispensing end and a liquid source connecting end and cooperable for connection with respect to a source of liquid to be dispensed; said dispensing end having vents and carrying a valve therein; said filler tube being coupled in driven relationship with respect to the vertically reciprocating member of a bottle filling machine and having an up position and a down position; said valve having spring'biased trip means which is cooperable upon contact with the inside bottom of the bottle for starting the ow of liquid; wiper means ixedly mounted in a vertical plane with respect to said ller tube and slidably surrounding said ller tube and cooperable for wiping excess liquid from the outer surface thereof; a drip pan having an operable and non-operable position and coupled with respect to the horizontally reciprocating member of a bottle filling machine, said drip pan 'being actuated into said operable position upon actuation of said filler tube into said up position.

2. An automatic container-filler device cooperable with a bottle filling machine having a source of effervescent liquid to be dispensed, a vertically reciprocating member, and a horizontally reciprocating member for rapid dispensation of elfervescent liquid Within a bottle, comprising: a filler tube having a dispensing end and a liquid source connecting end and cooperable for connection with respect to a source of eervescent liquid to be dispensed; said dispensing end having vents and carrying a check valve; said tiller tube being coupled in driven relationship with respect to the vertically reciprocating member of a bottle iilling machine and having an up position and a down position; said valve including spring biased valve closure means, a valve seat, and trip means which is mounted with respect to said valve closure means; said valve closure means being normally seated with respect to said valve seat; said trip means being cooperable upon contact with the inside bottom of the bottle for unseating said valve closure means and starting the ow of liquid; wiper means xedly mounted in a vertical plane with respect to said filler tube and slidably surrounding said filler tube and cooperable for wiping excess liquid from the outer surface thereof; a drip pan having an operable and non-operable position and coupled with respect to the horizontally reciprocating member of a bottle filling machine, said drip pan being actuated into said operable position upon actuation of said ller tube into said up position.

3. An automatic container-filler device cooperable with a bottle filling machine having a source of effervescent liquid to be dispensed, a vertically reciprocating member, and a horizontally reciprocating member for rapid dispensation of eiervescent liquid within a bottle, comprising: a ller tube having a dispensing end and a liquid source connecting end and cooperable for connection with respect to a source of effervescent liquid to `be dispensed; said vdispensing end having vents and carrying a check valve; said filler tube being coupled in driven relationship with respect to the vertically reciprocating member of a bottle lling machine and having an up position and a down position; said valve including spring biased valve closure means, a valve seat, and trip means which is mounted with respect to said valve closure means; said valve closure means being normally seated with respect to said valve seat thereby closing off said ller tube; said trip means being cooperable upon contact with the inside bottom of the bottle on said down stroke for unseating said valve closure means and starting the flow of liquid; wiper means tixedly mounted in a vertical plane with respect to said ller tube and slidably surrounding said filler tube and attached with respect to the bottle lling machine and cooperable for wiping excess liquid from the outer surface of said iiller tube; a drip pan having an operable and non-operable position and coupled with respect to the horizontally reciprocating member of a bottle filling machine, said drip pan being actuated into said operable position upon actuation of said filler tube into said up position.

4. An automatic container-filler device cooperable with a bottle iilling machine having a source of effervescent liquid to be dispensed, a vertically reciprocating member, and a horizontally reciprocating member for rapid dispensation of eitervescent liquid within a bottle, comprising: a tiller tube having a dispensing end, a liquid source connecting end, connection means, and being cooperable for connection with respect to a source of eiervescent liquid to be dispensed; said dispensing end having vents and carrying a check valve therein; said ller tube being coupled inI driven relationship with respect to the vertically reciprocating member of a bottle lling machine and having an up position and a down position; said valve including spring biased valve closure means, a valve seat, and spring biased trip means which is mounted with respect to said valve closure means; said valve closure means being normally seated with respect to said valve seat thereby closing oit said tiller tube; said trip means being cooperable upon contact with the inside bottom of the bottle on said down stroke for unseating said valve closure means and starting the flow of liquid; impact absorbing means cooperable for absorbing the impact of said trip means with respect to the bottom of the bottle; wiper means xedly mounted in a vertical plane with respect to said filler tube and slidably surrounding said iller tube and attached with respect to the bottle lling machine and cooperable for wiping eX- cess liquid from the outer surface of said ller tube; a drip pan having an operable and non-operable position and coupled with respect to the horizontally reciprocating member of a bottle lling machine, said drip pan being actuated into said operable position upon actuation of said filler tube into said up position.

5. An automatic container-tiller device cooperable with a bottle iilling machine having a source of effervescent liquid to be dispensed, a vertically reciprocating member, and a horizontally reciprocating member for rapid dispensation of effervescent liquid within a bottle, comprising: a filler tube having a dispensing end, a liquid source connecting end, connection means, and being cooperable for connection with respect to a source of effervescent liquid to be dispensed; said dispensing end having vents and carrying a check valve therein; said Iiller tube being coupled in driven relationship with respect to the vertically reciprocating member of a bottle filling machine and having an up position and a down position; said valve including spring biased valve closure means, a valve seat, and spring biased trip means which is mounted with respect to said valve closure means; said valve closure means being normally seated with respect to said valve seat thereby closing oit said filler tube; said trip means being cooperable upon contact with the inside bottom of the bottle on said down stroke for unseating said valve closure means and starting the flow of liquid; adjustable impact absorbing means, attached with respect to said filler tube, cooperable for absorbing the impact of said trip means with respect to the bottom of the bottle; said valve having hollow liquid directional and trip collar means at the bottom thereof and with said trip means being cooperable Ifor recess into the interior of said liquid directional and trip collar means; a drip pan having an operable and non-operable position and coupled with respect to the horizontally reciprocating member of a bottle filling machine, said drip pan being actuated into said operable position upon actuation of said filler tube into said up position.

6. An automatic container-filler device cooperable with a bottle filling machine having a source of eifervescent liquid to be dispensed, a vertically reciprocating member, and a horizontally reciprocating member for rapid dispensation of effervescent liquid Within a bottle, comprising: a filler tube having a dispensing end, a liquid source connecting end, connection means, and being cooperable for connection with respect to a source of efervescent liquid to be dispensed; said dispensing end having vents and carrying a check valve therein; said tiller tube being coupled in driven relationship with respect to the vertically reciprocating member of a bottle illing machine and having an up position and a down position; said Valve including spring biased Valve closure means, a valve seat, and spring biased trip means which is mounted with respect to said valve closure means; said valve closure means being normally seated with respect to said valve seat thereby closing off said filler tube; said trip means being cooperable upon contact with the inside bottom of the bottle on said down stroke for unseating said valve closure means and starting the flow of liquid; said valve having hollow liquid directional and trip collar means at the bottom thereof and with said trip means being cooperable for recess into the interior of said liquid directional and trip collar means; a drip pan having an operable and non-operable position and coupled with respect to the horizontally reciprocating member of a bottle filling machine, said drip pan being actuated into said operable position upon actuation of said iiller tube into said up position.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,665,045 Nowakowski Jan. 5, 1954 2,750,079 Trombley June l2, 1956 2,792,855 Walts May 2l, 1957 

